Operation: FARRAH
by Sgamer82
Summary: A family aquaintance from Numbuh Five's past comes for a visit, with news so startling it sends Numbuh Five on a mission to aid her greatest enemies.
1. Houseguest

_**DISLCAIMER:** I do not own _Codename: Kids Next Door_ or any of its characters save those created specifically for this story._

**UPLOADING...**

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION ONE:  
HOUSEGUEST

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

A young girl, roughly nine or ten years old, walked up a street in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Some would call her Black. Others would call her African-American, but the girl didn't call herself either. She thought of such things as silly labels made by adults. She didn't have a lot of respect for most adults. After the things she has seen throughout her most recent years, it wasn't hard to figure out why. This girl wasn't what many would consider normal. She wasn't the cheery type of girl, who would go crazy over what she was to wear that day or what boys might like her. Nor was she simply another tomboy, she liked some of what most boys would call "girly stuff". She wasn't your average girl at all. She was Abby Lincoln, also known as Numbuh Five of the Kids Next Door.

Abby was just returning home after a long day of work with the Kids Next Door. There weren't any missions that day. But there were a lot of chores and maintenance work that had needed doing. And Numbuh One had felt that a slow day like this one was the perfect time to get those things done. The other Kids Next Door hadn't been happy about that decree. Days without missions were play days for them, not days for work. Still, they had followed Numbuh One's lead. He had done just as much work as they had, if not more. So the other kids had had no right to complain. Numbuh Five certainly hadn't. She'd done her work, and was now very happy to return home for a good rest before the next day.

"Abigail dear!" Abby's mother called as Abby walked through her home's front door, "We have a guest."

Abby let out a sigh. She much preferred the shorter version of her name. However, her mother was very formal and proper and refused to use "Abby". Abby didn't make a huge deal of it, though, her mother let her get away with other "improper" things, after all.

Abby knew, though, that her mother would insist on Abby's greeting their company. So she braced herself and entered the kitchen, where she had heard her mother's voice, and saw the guest. It was a woman, about her mom's age, with blonde hair and blue eyes. For some reason, Abby found her familiar, but she didn't dwell on it. The lady was just another adult to her.

"Abigail," said her mother, a very dignified looking woman in her thirties, "This is Farrah, an old friend of ours."

"Abby be very pleased to meet'cha." Abby managed, as politely as possible.

"It's good to see you too, Abby." said Farrah, "It's been years since I saw you last. I think you were just starting preschool the last time I got a good look at you."

"Really?" said Abby, making small talk until she could think of an excuse to go to her bedroom that wouldn't strike her mother as obscenely rude. Fortunately, that ended up not even being necessary. Farrah and Abby's mother got so involved in their own conversation, they didn't even notice Abby heading up to her bedroom. She made a point of hurrying when she overheard Farrah ask "So she never grew out of talking in the third person, huh?"

----------

Abby lied on top of her bed, reading one of a small collection of magazines she kept at home. It had been at least an hour since she'd left her mother and her guest alone. She heard sounds that made Abby think their conversation was still going, as well as a few laughs here and there. After a while, the talking quieted down, and Abby heard some steps coming in her direction. They stopped for a while, then suddenly there was a knock at Abby's door.

"Come in." said Abby as she closed the cover of her magazine and sat up. Farrah walked into the room. She seemed nervous. That struck Numbuh Five as odd. Why would an adult be nervous around a kid?

Farrah was wringing her hands and looking down at the carpet on the floor.

"Abigail..." she said.

"I prefer Abby." Abby said in reply.

"Right... Abby..." Farrah muttered. She cleared her throat and continued. "Abby, I came here because I need help with something. Something only you can help me with."

"Me? What can Abby do?" asked the girl aloud. Does she know 'bout the Kids Next Door? she wondered to herself.

Farrah reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a photograph. She handed the photo to Abby, who didn't believe what she saw.

"I need your help to save them!" said Farrah.

**END OF TRANSMISSION ONE**


	2. What To Do

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION...**

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H. **

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION TWO:  
WHAT TO DO...

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

There weren't any missions again. Fortunately, Numbuh One had relented on letting the other Kids Next Door enjoy the work-free day. Most of the Kids Next Door were playing in their rooms. Three with her stuffed toys, Four with his wrestling ring and robots, and Numbuh Two with his video games using the monitor in his jet-bed's cockpit. Numbuh One still had work on his mind and took care of a few minor chores before heading off to challenge Numbuh Two to one of their favorite fighting games.

As he headed towards Numbuh Two's room, he saw Numbuh Five waiting for him in a hallway. She looked like she had a lot on her mind. This concerned Numbuh One a bit. Mostly because Numbuh Five liked to play it cool and seem as if there was never anything to worry about, which made it especially worrisome when it was clear that something actually was bothering her.

"Numbuh One... c'n you an' Numbuh Five have a chat?"

"Sure, Numbuh Five, what about?" Numbuh Five gestured to an empty storeroom.

"Numbuh Five would rather speak in private."

Numbuh One would've argued that no one was even there. But decided better of it. If Numbuh Five wanted to get something out, better to do it on her terms. She might be more reluctant to talk about her problems if One tried to force her to stay where they were. He followed Five to the storeroom and before he could ask what was up, Numbuh Five thrust a photograph in his face.

"Take a look at this." she told him.

Numbuh One viewed the photo for a few seconds, trying to see what it was Five wanted him to see. It took him about 30 of those seconds to finally make the connection. His mouth opened in shock and froze that way for a moment before turning to Numbuh Five. He pointed to the photo.

"Is that-"

"Uh-huh."

"And are those-"

"Uh-huh."

"Numbuh Five, what is this about?"

"You won't believe it when I tell ya..."

----------

He was worried...

She had returned. There was no reason for her to have done so.

Actually, there were reasons for her to come back. Though she knew better than to try anything. Or she should have.

He was worried...

His recent actions have likely forced her to do something desperate. Would she make an attempt on his life? Not likely. Much as she would like to, ending his life would do her little good.

No, there was something more to it. She had visited someone.

Who?

An old friend. Not even a friend. A mere acquaintance.

Why?

He could not fathom. What would an insignificant family from the past have to do with the here and now.

He was worried...

He shouldn't be worried. There was nothing she could do. But still... recent experience with a gang of neighborhood brats had taught him. Never underestimate even the most insignificant of threats.

----------

Numbuh Five had been right. She'd told him the situation, and he didn't believe it.

"So... you're determined to try and do it?" he asked her.

Numbuh Five nodded her head.

"I'll help in whatever way that I can. Though, I hope you'll understand if I make this a strictly voluntary mission for the others."

Numbuh Five nodded her head.

"All right then." Numbuh One took a communicator out of his shorts pocket. "All Kids Next Door, report to the briefing room at once. There is something that needs to be discussed at once."

Elsewhere in the tree house, the other Kids Next Door groaned.

"There goes my high score..." mumbled Numbuh Two as he turned off his game.

**END OF TRANSMISSION TWO**


	3. The Beginning Of It All

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION...**

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION THREE:  
THE BEGINNING OF IT ALL

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Twelve years ago, at an elementary school, it all began. A young teachers' aide's bright idea had dire, unforeseeable consequences.

The aide, known to the students simply as Miss Farrah, had one day overheard a student complaining. That student had complained that he'd been grounded because his parents had felt he hadn't behaved well enough at a fancy restaurant. That was the catalyst. Miss Farrah devised a little club, where kids could go to learn these behaviors that would keep them out of trouble when their parents made them go to nice places.

To the surprise of many of the teachers, the idea actually took off. Granted, most of the kids joined up primarily to get out of math class, when the club met once a week, but they were there nonetheless. Farrah taught the children basic etiquette; which fork was which, where you put the napkin, proper discussion topics. She was able to make it interesting for them, so the kids actually enjoyed learning such normally dull things.

This continued for couple years. Even after Farrah earned her teaching degree and got herself a teaching job at her elementary. Even after Farrah had met a handsome man at her first teacher's conference. Even after Farrah had married that man, a headmaster at a private school. Miss Farrah kept her Etiquette Club going until she had become pregnant, and her condition forced her to resign. That's when things began to go downhill.

Her husband, at Farrah's request, took over the club, taking some time out of his headmaster duties to do so. He didn't mind doing it at all, so Farrah was happy to let him take it. Unknown to Farrah though, her husband had transformed the class into something horrible.

For starters, he was able to persuade the elementary school's principal to make the club mandatory. He followed that by recruiting people to help teach it. Those people were strict disciplinarians who would rule their etiquette classes with an iron fist. They were practically drill sergeants. And woe to those unfortunate children who failed to do what was expected. They were dealt with harshly. Often forced into humiliating, proper-looking outfits, to be laughed at by their peers as punishment for their failure. Rumors were that there even threats made against the children if they attempted to tell anyone of the new regime's activities.

Miss Farrah remained ignorant of all of it. Her pregnancy has blessed her with not one, but five children. Quintuplets. The insistent demands of her children occupied much of her time. She no longer kept up with her old club's activities.

Eventually, one of the children under the elementary's new dictatorship, attempted to seek Miss Farrah's help. Farrah was shocked to learn the truth of her husband's deeds and confronted him. Unfortunately, he retaliated. Hard.

While Farrah had been bus with their children, he had built up quite the network of influence. Gaining access to the ears of very high-ranking officials, including divorce court judges. He was able to get a divorce from Farrah, and custody of the children. He was unable to get full custody, but was able to restrict Farrah's access to the children. They grew up without their mother, though she fought every way she could to get to them.

Meanwhile, the childrens' father had begun using his built up influence to allow adults to get away with near anything with regards to their children. In his mind, children were little more than wild animals to be tamed. And anything that did that, force, intimidation, what have you, was good in his mind. He gave adults in certain positions new orders and technology. Everyone, from the Parent Teacher's Association to ice cream truck drivers, were made to act against children in any way they could. Even Miss Farrah's former Etiquette Club wasn't immune. The drill-sergeant-type instructors were given a new directive. To force proper manners and attire on any and all children they could. They would one day become known as the Proper Patrol.

----------

"Oh, sad story." moaned Numbuh Three, after One and Five had finished their briefing on Farrah and her history. Numbuh Four stood up from his seat.

"Not that this ain't been interestin', cause it hasn't, but will ya jus' get to the cruddin' point."

"Yeah, what's the Proper Patrol's origin story got to do with us?" Numbuh Two asked.

"This is the connection." said Numbuh One as he slid a photograph into the holographic projector.

The projector displayed the image to the other Kids Next Door. Numbuh Three immediately recognized one of the people in the photo.

"Awww," said Three, "That's Numbuh Five! You're so cute!"

Indeed, the photo had a small, dark-skinned little girl, no more than three years old, playing with another girl of the same age in a sandbox at a park. The little girl had brown hair and blue eyes. Her hair was braided into pigtails that stuck up a bit. There were other children in the photo as well. One of them was a boy with the same blue eyes as the girl, but with blonde hair. He was driving a toy dump truck along the grass with a boy whose brown hair was so long in front it nearly covered his eyes. Another girl sat by a bench playing with a pair of dolls. Finally, one other boy was in the picture. But his face wasn't visible, he was trying to hide behind the dress of an adult woman with blonde hair and blue eyes who was watching all the children playing with a happy, content look on her face.

Kids Next Door Numbuhs Two, Three, and Four looked at these children intently. It was Numbuh Two who realized who they were.

"Those kids! Playing with Numbuh Five! They're the Delightful Children From Down the Lane!"

Four and Three didn't believe what they'd just heard. But sure enough they realized that that's exactly who it was in the photo.

"Yeah!" yelled Four, "That's 'Pigtails' with Numbuh Five! Shorty 'n' Slim with the trucks!"

"Pinky's got the dolls!" Numbuh Three exclaimed.

"And that's gotta be Dome behind that lady." said Numbuh Two.

The Kids Next Door didn't know the Delightful Childrens' individual names, so they referred to them by nicknames. Shorty, also called the "Anti-Wallabee" whenever Numbuh Four wasn't around, was the boy with blonde hair and the same mushroom-style haircut as Numbuh Four. Dome was the boy who always wore a football helmet, which obscured his face. Slim was a tall, skinny, brown haired boy whose bangs were over his eyes. Pinky was the sandy-blonde girl with a pink bow in her hair, and Pigtails, the girl who played with Five in the picture, wore her brown hair in braided pigtails.

"You're right." Numbuh One explained, "Those are the Delightful Children From Down the Lane. Numbuh Five apparently knew them in her younger days. And the woman in the photo is Farrah. Their mother."

Two, Three, and Four just looked at the hologram display, their mouths hanging open. They couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"The reason we tellin' you all 'dis," Numbuh Five began, "is because that Farrah lady came to my house yesterday. She tol' Numbuh Five that she wanted t'save her kids."

"Save the Delightful Dorks?" Numbuh Four said with a huff.

"That's right Numbuh Four." Numbuh One said, "She wants to get them away from their Father. "

The Kids Next Door shared a group shudder as they remembered what Father had done to them in their one encounter. Father was seemingly a man made of fire. It had taken a deluge of frozen ice cream to stop his flames. The Kids Next Door had never given much thought to what it must have been like to live with someone like that. But suddenly they all felt a pang of regret for the Delightful Children who lived in that mansion.

"According to Numbuh Five's information, Father has finally found a way to get full custody of the Delightful Children. What this means is that they'll be his, and his alone. Their mother will have no way to help them after that happens."

"Why not just tell the court people that their Father's a bad man?" Numbuh Three asked.

"Numbuh Five's watched enough cop shows t'know, that you can't tell a courtroom judge nothin' like that if ya can't prove it." Numbuh Five explained.

"And if Farrah attempted to simply take the children, she'd get herself into trouble and lose the Delightful Children to Father forever."

The severity of the situation was sinking in the Kids Next Doors' heads.

"What're we gonna do?" Numbuh Two asked.

"We're going to try and aid Farrah in any way we can. This will mean helping the Delightful Children from Down the Lane."

Two, Three, and Four looked at each other. Help the Delightful Children? Sure, they were in trouble... but they were the enemy. Weren't they?

"Numbuh Five and myself have already committed ourselves to this mission." Numbuh One told his comrades. "However, due to our history with the Delightfuls, I am making this mission strictly voluntary. I will hold nothing against anybody who decides not to join us."

The three undecided kids thought about their options. They each felt mixed emotions about this. Numbuh One thought heard Four mutter to himself "I don' wanna go help them Delightful Brats!" Two seemed pensive, he wasn't sure what to do. It was Numbuh Three who decided first. She stood up from the couch she'd been sitting on and looked at Numbuh Five.

"I'll help you, Numbuh Five!" she said, "We're the Kids Next Door! It's our job to help kids in trouble! And the Delightful Children are in real bad trouble!"

That decided it. Numbuh Three was right. Four and Two signed up as well. This would be a team mission all the way.

**END OF TRANSMISSION THREE**


	4. Time For A Plan

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION...**

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
****F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION FOUR:  
TIME FOR A PLAN

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

It had been decided. The Kids Next Door would come to the aid of those they considered their greatest enemies. The Delightful Children From Down The Lane. However, now the question was, how in the world were they gonna do it?

Numbuh One knew that their usual methods wouldn't work this time. They couldn't simply take the Delightful Children away. Numbuh One knew that, whatever mistreatment Father had given them, they were loyal to him. They'd attempt to escape just as adults attempted to reclaim them. They would have to make the Delightful Children prisoners. With their new information in his head, Numbuh One couldn't in good conscience consider that an option.

Though he wouldn't do so anyway, going to adult authorities was out of the question as well. Numbuh Five had told everyone that her talk with Farrah had suggested Father had strong influence everywhere. The authorities wouldn't attempt to actually go after him unless given no other alternative.

Numbuh One laid in his bed and thought some more about taking the Delightful Children from their home. It would be very difficult to get all five of them. Actually, it would be near-impossible to just get one. And what would happen even if they did that? Would they even know their mother was trying to help them? Probably not, especially if Father has turned the Delightfuls against her. Something Numbuh One wouldn't put past him. Would they believe that the Kids Next Door had suddenly become their saviors? Of course not. Could they even be convinced?

If so, Numbuh One knew that their best shot at doing so rested with Numbuh Five. She has the connection to them. Even if she and the Delightful Children didn't remember it. Or did they? It was long ago, but most kids have at least slight memories of their toddler years. Numbuh One himself remembered the day he'd learned he was allergic to bee stings. The incident had left him afraid of most insects.

Wait... just how much did Numbuh Five remember?

Numbuh One got out of his bed and made a beeline for Numbuh Five's bedroom. He knocked on the door. Though it seemed to take a moment for Numbuh Five to answer him. He walked in and saw Numbuh Five sitting in her sofa in front of her fireplace. Numbuh One was concerned. Sitting in front of a fire was something Five did to calm herself. It was something she reserved for when she was worried or agitated about something.

"Numbuh Five," One began, "I need to ask you a few questions..."

"Numbuh Five can guess about what."

"Yeah, I suppose you can..." Numbuh One said nervously. Five had been practically interrogated during the briefing about her knowing the Delightful Children. The others may have decided to help, but they still couldn't believe that someone they knew was once a friend of the enemies. Numbuh One himself even had trouble with it.

"It probably got asked during the briefing, but just how much about your time then do you remember?"

"Actually, I don' think anybody asked Numbuh Five that." Five replied with a sigh. "Most of it was 'how could you?' or 'why didn't ya tell us before?' Truth is, Numbuh Five never recognized the Delightful brats when I saw 'em for the first time. Never occurred to me they were kids I used t'know.

"But since Farrah came, Numbuh Five's been rackin' her brain tryin' ta figure it all out. Tryin' to remember it all. Since then Numbuh Five's gotten the occasional bit here an' there of times when I was friends with the Delightfuls."

"Anything in particular?"

"Yeah... Farrah said that Numbuh Five was 'specially tight wit' one of 'em. I been rememberin' stuff with one of them Delightful Children more than the others."

"Do you know which one?" One asked.

"Why, Numbuh One, does Numbuh Five detect a plan formin' in yo' smooth skull?"

Actually, a plan was forming in One's head. It was risky, and had the potential to backfire horribly. But if it worked, then Father might actually be stopped for good. However...

"I am getting an idea."

Numbuh Five jumped out of her seat and looked at One.

"Well, what is it."

"You won't believe it when I tell you." said Numbuh One with a smirk.

----------

So that was the connection.

Who would've guessed that one of the Kids Next Door had once known his own Delightful Children. It was a very desperate bid, going to the girl. But then again, Farrah had become a desperate woman. His information network had served him well in bringing him this news.

The Kids Next Doors' involvement could be a problem. They had proven themselves a formidable threat in the past. But up until now most of their behavior has been limited to counter-strikes. Attacking only when a definite threat was present. Farrah's appearance might provoke them to attempt an offensive. Their desire to help children they view as being in distress might overwhelm any loathing and enmity that had developed towards his Children.

If they attempted anything, Father would be ready.

----------

"Well, yer right. Numbuh Five don' believe what she hearin'."

"It's a real risky plan. It counts relying on those we've fought against for years. But it's the best shot we have."

"Yo right." Numbuh Five agreed, then smiled, "'Sides, might be interestin' to actually beat an adult at their own game."

**END OF TRANSMISSION FOUR**


	5. Operaton: ABDUCTION

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
****F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION FIVE:  
OPERATION:  
A.B.D.U.C.T.I.O.N.

**A**nother  
**B**rave,  
**D**aring,  
**U**nbelievably  
**C**razy  
**T**resspassing  
**I**nto  
**O**pponents'  
**N**iche

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

It was night. Half past ten. Numbuh Five kneeled on top of the wall marking the edge of the Delightful Children From Down the Lanes' property. The other Kids Next Door were at different points in the mansion, ready to strike. The plan was in motion, and it wasn't going to wait for Numbuh Five. Five's skill was stealth, and she was going to need every bit of it she could muster.

The Kids Next Door were poised to launch an attack on the mansion after a specific amount of time. Five had to get to her target destination before that time elapsed, if she was to have the best possible chance of achieving her goal. She jumped down to the ground with a grace most wouldn't expect from a 10 year old girl. She did a quick sprint across the lawn, dodging places that she had known for a long time would set off alarms.

It was a familiar route, one she'd often use whenever the Kids Next Door wanted tortilla chips to make nachos. But this time she had a much bigger target in mind. Five now ran along the wall of the west side of the mansion. Looking for the one way the Delightful Children and their father never considered as a way of entry. The servants' entrance. Snooty snobs like this family didn't think much about their servants and think even less of the ways they get in to, out of, and around the home they served.

It was at this time of day that a maid or butler or someone would step out to toss out some trash or something. Numbuh Five didn't think much about what was happening, she was only concerned with getting into the house. The servant came out, as expected, and Five rushed into the open servants' door, into the kitchen, into the house.

She ran through the halls of the mansion. Hiding behind decorations, statues, curtains, and the like, whenever someone came near. The place seemed more heavily guarded than Numbuh Five was used to. She went deeper into the mansion than ever she had before, until she found what she was looking for. If the intel was right...

It was. Numbuh Five peeked into the room, inside it was dark. But there were five beds, each occupied. Five sneaked into the room, being especially careful not to make much noise. She stood in the center of the room while her eyes adjusted to the dark. She was able to make out the five beds, the five people in them, each of the Delightful Children. The three boys were on Five's left, the two girls were on her right. Five didn't see much else. There were dressers, a closet, some curtains on the window, but no toys.

_Weird._ thought Numbuh Five. She found it hard to believe that the Delightful Children didn't have any toys. She could've sworn they'd had a record player at one point. But then remembered that it had been provided by Mrs. Goodwall, owner of the Kids' Zoo. On thinking of it, their anger at losing the player had been one of the rare times Five had ever seen them show any real emotion other than evil glee.

Numbuh Five snapped herself out of her little daydream. Now was not the time. With no better options, Five got behind a curtain and kneeled down behind it, out of sight to anybody who might enter the room or suddenly wake up. She only had to wait now. She checked her watch, activating the night-light feature. Three more minutes until the others made their move, and she'd have to make hers.

"No... Father... No..."

Numbuh Five was startled by the sudden noise. She recognized the voice as Shorty, the Delightful Boy with blonde hair worn in Numbuh Four's style. On sudden instinct, she pressed another button on her watch and continued to wait. Listening.

----------

Numbuh One stood by the main gate of the Delightful Childrens' property. This entrance was on the south end of the land. Numbuh Two waited by the east wall. Three was to the north. And Numbuh Four was waiting by the west wall, where Numbuh Five had begun her infiltration. It was almost time to put their plan into action.

3

2

1

"Kids Next Door," Numbuh One spoke into a communicator, "Battlestations!"

From the south, Numbuh One activated his jet boots and flew into the air, a ray gun in his hand, ready for battle. One would take the brunt of the assault, since most of the guards and robots of the Delightfuls would be at the front gate. It would be hard at first, but when the others began their assault the guards would spread out.

From the east, Numbuh Two activated his fly suit and took off over the wall. The eyepieces of the suit have been adapted for this mission, containing infrared devices that showed where people in the house were. Two relayed this info to the other Kids Next Door, giving them warning about what was coming for them. There was a very huge reading near the center of the mansion. Father.

From the north, Numbuh Three ran into the bushes. Behind those bushes, was her favorite machine, the giant robot bunny rabbit, Hippy-Hop. She hopped in, turned it on, and crashed through the wall. A lot of big guys came running at her, then turned tail at the sight of Hippy Hop's arsenal.

From the west, Numbuh Four climbed a tree. At the top, he ran along a branch and jumped, sailing across the wall and hitting the ground with exactly the grace one would expect from a 10 year old boy. Picking himself up off the ground, he pulled out his weapon, a S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. and ran into battle.

Inside, Numbuh Five waited. The noise of a battle outside awoke the Delightful Children, who simultaneously asked what was happening. They ran out, heading to their Father. They were in such a rush that they failed to notice Numbuh Five making her move.

----------

So, predictable. But then, what do you expect from children?

The Kids Next Door had unleashed a frontal attack on the mansion. Obviously trying to get to his children. Father had been ready, and had plenty of his security and "special" servants on alert. If they didn't finish the Kids Next Door, they would at least fend them off.

The noise outside had obviously awoken his children. They would come to him for guidance on what to do. The proper thing to do.

He was not surprised when they rushed into his room, altogether shouting a frantic "FATHER!"

He _was_ surprised when he turned to face them, and realized there were only four children standing in the doorway. One of the girls was missing.

**END OF TRANSMISSION FIVE**


	6. Good Intentions & Bad Memories

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
****F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION SIX:  
GOOD INTENTIONS & BAD MEMORIES

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Numbuh Five looked through a two-way mirror into the small room. It was nearly empty except for a table, a light hanging from the ceiling, a couple of chairs, and a young girl, about 10 years old. Light skinned, she had brown hair, which she wore in pigtails. She wore a white nightdress, not surprising being she was kidnapped out of bed. A pair of glasses was on her face as well. Numbuh Five had grabbed them on the way out. She looked around the room contemptuously, unable to see the Kids Next Door watching her.

"Will you be okay?" Numbuh Two asked Five as he walked up beside her. He was carrying a small bundle in his arms, which Five took in her own.

"To be honest... no. Interrogation ain't really ever been Numbuh Five's thing."

That was true. Interrogation involved doing a bit of talking, and Numbuh Five was very much the silent type. She usually didn't say anything unless it was something she thought was cool, important, or funny. She was a bit nervous about what she was about to attempt. She'd give anything to not have to. Unfortunately, the situation forced Numbuh Five to be the one.

"Well, here we go..." Numbuh Five took a deep breath, and walked into the interrogation room to meet with Pigtails.

"Um... hey..." she said to the 'guest', "I brought some clothes fer ya... Numbuh Two was the only one with... well, with your size. I made sure it wasn't nothing to boy-ish. Don't strike me you'd like that kinda thing."

The Delightful Girl remained quiet, not even looking at the t-shirt and shorts Five laid on the table. Numbuh Five had at least hoped for a "Thank You." The Kids Next Door had gotten that much when they and the Delightfuls had cooperated in escaping the Kids' Zoo.

"I hope you don' expect Numbuh Five t'do all th' talkin'. It ain't my thing."

"What is the meaning of this?" the girl asked angrily. Five was a little bit startled to hear her speak without her siblings backing her up.

"Well..." Five began. _How do I explain this?_

"We wanted to help you?" she tried.

"Help me how? I was in no need of your assistance."

"Sure. You say 'dat now. But Numbuh Five thinks I know what been goin' on in yo' house."

"You'll have to let me in on it." Pigtails said, with a strange sort of sarcasm to her voice.

"Well, fer starters, what about how yer pop's been treatin' ya."

"My _father_," said Pigtails, emphasizing "Father", "treats us exactly how a parent should treat their child."

"Says who?"

"Father."

"Of course."

"Don't you dare disrespect him!"

"From what Numbuh Five heard he ain't worth respectin'!"

Pigtails stood up from her chair quickly, knocking it to the floor as she did so. The anger in her eyes was clear. Five had clearly gone too far. She decided to stop. She didn't want to get Pigtails so riled that she wouldn't be open to what she was about to hear.

"Okay, okay. Numbuh Five apologizes. Didn' mean t'offend ya."

"Good. Now, I'll ask again. What is the meaning of this?"

_Take two..._ Numbuh Five said to herself as Pigtails picked up her chair and sat down again.

"Okay... Numbuh Five don' know how to explain it, so let's just start from the beginnin'...

"A few days ago, a lady came to Numbuh Five's place an' tol' her a story. She said that Numbuh Five had been friends with her kids back in their preschool days. In fact, Numbuh Five was especially tight with one girl in particular."

The Delightful Girl tried not to look curious. She nearly succeeded. Numbuh Five thought this way might do it.

"Yeah, the lady tol' Numbuh Five that me an' that kid became good friends 'cause we found out we both had the same first name. 'Parrently we thought it was jus' the coolest thing ever. Seems silly now, but then again, we was only three. Now, you're pro'lly thinkin', 'What's this got t'do wit' me?'"

Pigtails nodded. She was wondering just that. Numbuh Five reached into her pocket and pulled out the photograph she had been given. Pigtails looked at the photo. Her eyes seemed to widen behind her glasses as recognition flared. But it was quickly replaced by her usual demeanor.

"That photograph is a fake!" she exclaimed.

"Now ya don' really believe that? Do you, Abigail?" asked Numbuh Five.

Pigtails seemed to jump a little in her seat. As if hearing her proper name was an uncommon occurrence.

"Well..."

Pigtails clammed up.

"Look, you obviously know who the people in this picture are. Otherwise you wouldn't have been so quick to call it fake."

Pigtails was silent.

"You asked what Numbuh Five was doin', well here it is. Yer ma wants to get you away from yer father!"

The anger suddenly flared in Pigtails' eyes.

"Of course she would! That despicable Harpie wants nothing more than to make Father suffer! Don't you dare speak of her to me!"

Numbuh Five stood in place at a total loss for words. She had never seen any of the Delightful Children express that kind of rage. Her brief outburst earlier paled in comparison. Numbuh Five had to think of something quick, or any shot at getting Pigtails on their side would be lost.

"I musta heard somethin' wrong then..." said Five, thinking fast, "What makes you say that?"

"My mother is a horrible witch! Father told us that she left us when we were small! She doesn't care about us! She only wants to hurt Father! That's all! Father told us!"

Numbuh Five should've expected something like this. In fact, she remembered Numbuh One warning her of just such a possibility. Pigtails had been conditioned to hate her own mother. Five had to do something about this. Didn't stop it from getting on her nerves, though.

"Look at that photo an' tell me you honestly believe 'dat! She don' look like no witch there! And she didn' look like one when I saw her, neither!"

"You don't know her!"

"And you do!"

"Father told us!"

"Oh, and he can' never be wrong?"

"Of course not!"

"No matter what?"

"No matter what!"

"Even if he hurts you?"

"Even when he hurts us!"

Pigtails suddenly clamped her hand over her mouth. Her face had a shocked expression. As though she'd let something slip accidentally. Numbuh Five noticed it as well. She had said 'when he hurts us.' It pretty much confirmed that some bad stuff was happening in that mansion that shouldn't be. Numbuh Five knew if she was to get through to Pigtails, it was now or never.

"How can it be right if he hurts ya!"

"We deserve it!" Pigtails said, though not convincingly, "We fail at the responsibilities he gives us! We disappoint him!"

"That ain't no reason to ever hurt you!" Five yelled at the now teary-eyed pigtails, "Don't you get it! Father's the bad guy!"

"No! No he isn't! He can't be! Father is good! He teaches us when we're wrong! He teaches us how we're supposed to behave!"

"He teaches ya to fear 'im! He teaches ya t'be zombies!"

"No! That's not true!"

"Isn't it?" said Numbuh Five, as she pulled off her watch. She had hoped not to use it, but she knew what she had on that watch was going to be the final straw. Part of her knew she would, no matter how much she didn't wish to. She set the watch on the table and pressed a button.

"No... Father, please... don't... no..." said a young male voice, followed by that voice screaming.

"Recognize that voice?" Five asked.

"Ethan..." said Pigtails, identifying the voice of Slim, the tall Delightful Boy whose hair covered his face. She suddenly sprang up from her chair and backed away from the table.

"No... don'... I'm sorry daddy-no Father! I'm sorry Father! Father!"

"Brianna...?" said Pigtails backing into the corner as she named Pinky, the other Delightful Girl.

"Not my face... no... no!"

"Dylan...!" That was Dome.

"I'm sorry! I won't fail again!"

"Cade!" Pigtails cried out to Shorty. There was only one more to go, Pigtails herself.

"I didn't mean to knock it down... I'm sorry I'm so clumsy!"

That was it. Pigtails couldn't take anymore. She was sobbing loudly now, huddled in a fetal position in the corner of the interrogation room, her face hidden in her arms. With a pained feeling in her gut, Numbuh Five took her watch off the table and turned off the audio playback, stopping the voices of the Delightful Children Five had recorded talking in their sleep. She walked over to Pigtails... No, Abigail. She told herself. She walked over to Abigail, and kneeled down on the floor in front of her.

"Why?" Abigail sobbed, "Why did you have to make me see! Why didn't just stay out of it! You didn't need to get involved!"

"Yer wrong there, Abigail." Numbuh Five said, "Abby Lincoln don' ever leave her friends hangin'! Even if they the enemy! You had t'know. You had to know yer Father was the bad guy!"

"What good will knowing that do!"

"Because now that you know, you can help us get you, an' yer siblings, to a better place."

Abigail looked at Numbuh Five with a look of incomprehension on her face.

"I'll explain it all to ya, Abigail." said Numbuh Five, extending her hand out to help her old friend get up, "If you'll let me."

Abigail hesitated, then held out her hand. She'd let Numbuh Five explain. She'd help them help her and her brothers and sisters.

**END OF TRANSMISSION SIX**


	7. Reclaiming What's His

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION

OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.

Family  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION SEVEN:  
RECLAIMING WHAT'S HIS

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

The Delightful Girl from Down the Lane known to the Kids Next Door as Pigtails sat now in the Kids Next Doors' command center, on the bench surrounding a holographic projector. The projector showed four of the Kids Next Door, Numbuhs One through Four, battling it out against one of her siblings' destruction machines. One of the particularly big ones by the looks of it. However, the Kids Next Door, having once had their headquarters destroyed by just such a machine, were better prepared for it this time around. Much larger cannons were installed as part of the defenses, as were metal shields around particularly vulnerable areas.

Numbuh Five watched the Delightful Girl, also known as Abigail, clothed in a t-shirt and shorts belonging to Numbuh Two, as she watched it. Five wasn't surprised to see a horrified expression on her face. Since Five had broken through the (for lack of better term) brainwashing, Abigail had begun to show emotion more often. She had been with the Kids Next Door for nearly five days before the Delightful Children had launched this counterattack. They had obviously been planning it, because their destruction machine, which resembled a large crab, had been attacking specific places, searching where they thought their sister was most likely to be. It was also heavily armored, which suggested that they had been prepared for the Kids Next Doors' preparations.

The Kids Next Door were putting up a valiant fight. Numbuh Three was fighting in Hippy Hop, which was their big gun in the machine. One had even been making Three train on it nearly non-stop for several days for this inevitable situation. So she was putting up a much more focused fight than she might've done regardless. Numbuh Four was in a jet-boosted battle suit, which sported large mechanical arms for punching other large mechanical objects. Like Three, he had been training on it heavily in preparation. Numbuhs One and Two were on the sidelines, they were using the teddy bear bazookas, with the teddy bear ammo modified slightly to explode on contact, trying to aim for any vulnerable spots that appear as Four and Three kept the crab machine occupied. Two managed to score a hit, which broke off one of the crabs metal claws. Unfortunately, this particular model was armed with four more pincers than a real life crab, totaling six (now five).

"Will they be all right?" Abigail asked.

"The other Kids Next Door or yer sibs?" Five asked.

"Both." answered Abigail.

"I dunno." Five answered honestly, "The other Kids Next Door know the score now, so they ain't goin' fer the big hits like they might've before. Right now they're mostly goin' for forcin' 'em away and makin' 'em limp home. On th' other hand, yer brothers 'n' sister are goin' fer the kill to get you back. They ain't pullin' their punches, which puts my friends in a bit more danger."

"And both sides are more prepared because of our past encounters." Abigail observed, "Essentially, it's your friends prepared for my siblings, who are prepared for your friends, who are prepared for my siblings' being prepared-"

"Please, stop right there. Yer gonna end up makin' my head hurt." Five said.

"Sorry." Abigail said quickly. Five smiled. The two of them had actually gotten along quite well in the past few days. They'd been separated for nearly seven years, but it was as if they had never been parted. As Abigail spent more time with Five, a real personality began to show itself. Her education had given her a large vocabulary, which she liked to use to the occasional annoyance to Five and the other Kids Next Door. She often got Numbuh Three so confused she had a dazed look for nearly half an hour after a talk with Abigail. Abigail had also developed an iron resolve to get her brothers and sister away from their father. She didn't even hesitate to accept when Numbuh One explained their plan, and the part she would eventually play in it. Though she knew it would be asking a lot of her.

Abigail had also shown a slight competitive side to her. In the past few days she played games (board, video, and otherwise) with the other Kids Next Door. They had been a bit uneasy around her but that quickly passed. Abigail would often go against the other kids, quickly learning the games she had long been prohibited from playing, and beat them at even their best games. When the Kids started getting better at the games to beat Abigail, she only found it more fun to play more challenging games.

Five sat with Abigail, partly to act as a last line of defense and also to make sure Abigail didn't stray too far on her own. Numbuh One trusted her, but he still didn't want her to have any of the Kids Next Doors' classified information in the event things went wrong. Fortunately, it seemed Five wouldn't be necessary to fight this time around, as the Delightful Childrens' machine lost a few more claws and a couple of legs. The Children retreated, a bit lopsided as one side had three legs and the other only one. The Kids outside whooped and hollered, celebrating their victory. Abigail looked apprehensive. She knew that her siblings would be punished by Father. But for now, nothing could be done about it. Abigail's expression became more hardened as she thought that this will hopefully be the last time it should ever have to happen.

----------

Another failure. His children had disappointed him yet again.

The Kids Next Door had kidnapped one of his. No doubt they were attempting to get any information on him and his plans from the girl. He could not let that happen. His work had come too far to allow it. This whole city, this whole state, was in the palm of his hand. He had to end this mess with the Kids Next Door once and for all. His children had lost to them time and again. He had himself lost to them once before. But he had underestimated them. That would not happen this time.

The father had decided. He would first deal with his disappointing Children. Then he would, once and for all, take care of the Kids Next Door. He had underestimated them last time, but he would not lose again. How could he after all? Their home was flammable.

Father laughed.

----------

He made his move on the tenth day after the kidnapping. The Kids Next Door and Abigail watched as Father, unarmed and alone, approached the Kids Next Door tree house on foot. The other Kids Next Door looked to Numbuh One, expecting a decision. Father's was taking a personal interest sooner than they had thought he might.

"We've no other option. It's time. Kids Next Door, battle stations!"

In preparation for a potential battle with Father, Numbuh One had requisitioned a new weapon from Kids Next Door Headquarters. Each Kid picked up a weapon that looked like a slightly larger version of the popular Mega Drencher Water Guns. They were, in fact, S.Q.U.I.R.T.s (**S**oaks **Q**uickly **U**tilizing **I**nternal **R**eservoir **T**ank), very much like normal water guns, but firing with the force of firefighter hoses. The perfect weapon against Father, who appeared to be a mere silhouette of a man smoking a pipe with his body surrounded by flame.

Numbuh Five again stood by in the command center, acting as Abigail's last defender. This time however, she knew she was going to fight. A selection of the Kids Next Doors' outer defenses were converted into shooting water instead of energy beams and other things. This essentially gave the outside of their base larger versions of their S.Q.U.I.R.T.s to defend the base with. These weapons began firing on Father, as Numbuhs One through Four placed themselves at specific points throughout the base, ready to repel Father no matter which way he tried to enter.

Father walked through the torrents of water being shot at him by the Kids Next Door converted outer defenses. He didn't even flinch at them. Fact was, the temperature around him was burning so hot it was evaporating most of the water being fired at him before it could touch him. Father retaliated by shooting flames of his own into the outer defense guns, totaling them. He walked through the yard to the house to which the tree house base was connected. From there, he melted the doorknob, let the door slide open, and walked inside.

The first room of the Kids Next Door base looked much like the first floor of your average suburban home. Though the staircase in the living room went up much higher than the stairs of any average two-story residence, going into the branches of the tree that stuck out from the center of the living room like a pillar growing through the ceiling. Father calmly climbed these stairs. He knew exactly where to go. His childrens' small fly robot had given the family a fully detailed guide to the tree house.

Father met his first Kid Next Door at the top of the stairs. Numbuh Two had a two water guns in his hand, with a tank full of water on his back. He held them out and aimed at Father.

"Time to put you out!" said the boy as he pulled the trigger.

He might've really hurt Father, if the force of two S.Q.U.I.R.T.s shooting simultaneously hadn't been too much for Numbuh Two, sent him flying backwards and, after the two guns accidentally pointed downward, blasting Two through the ceiling. Two blasts through a few floors before his ammunition runs out and he falls to the floor of the level he ran out on. Father walked on.

His aim was the control center, where Abigail was likely to be. The other Kids Next Door were scrambling to reach Father and get in his path. Numbuh Four was the next to encounter him. Four didn't have a S.Q.U.I.R.T. with him. Instead, on the way to confronting Father, he had opted for a different weapon. He wore what appeared to be leather gloves with metal studs in the knuckles and the palms. Four pressed a stud on the wrist of one of the gloves, which glowed blue. Four had activated his M.I.T.T. (**M**aking **I**ntense **T**emperature **T**otally) and set it to "Ice Cold." Father threw a ball of flame at Four, but he was able to catch it in his M.I.T.T., which radiated a bright blue, showing the cold temperature now surrounding his hands. Four threw the fire back at Father and, as Father arrogantly caught the flame ran forward to land a punch with his cold hands. Unfortunately, Father managed to sidestep Four's attack and, using his flaming elbow, hit him in the back of the head. Knocking Four, ironically, out cold.

Numbuhs One and Three took their turn against Father next. He was getting very close to the control room. The two kids were in a corridor which intersected with the one Father was traveling in. They jumped out, shot with their S.Q.U.I.R.T.s, and pulled back again. Numbuh Three sprayed a bit haphazardly, while Numbuh One concentrated on aiming his shots. Fortunately, the two styles worked together, for as Father was distracted by the random sprays from Three, he was left open for One's attacks. Father took some hits and seemed to slow down. But he had had enough. He flamed up and shot a wall of fire straight at through the corridor, where Three and One were standing. They jumped out of the way but were pinned down when walls of fire remained around them, preventing them from moving without suffering severe burns. Father walked on.

Passing the trapped Kids, Father finally found his way to the control room. Where he found Numbuh Five standing between him and Abigail. She had a S.Q.U.I.R.T. in her hands, with a tank much like Numbuh Two's on her back. She was ready to fight. She fired off her gun at full blast. But, unlike Numbuh Two, Five braced herself for the force of the blast and was able to hold her ground. The torrent of water hit Father dead on, dousing his rising flames. But Father wasn't to be defeated so easily. As he did outside, he raised his temperature as high as he could. The water being shot at him began to evaporate, it even started a couple of small fires in the dryer areas of the wooden room. A fireball was launched by Father at Numbuh Five. She tried to jump away, but the fireball exploded and its shockwave knocked Five to the floor, unconscious.

He never said a word. He simply walked over to his daughter, dressed in the fat Kid Next Door's clothing, held out his hand, and waited for his daughter to take it. Abigail hesitated, but took the hand as she was clearly being instructed. Father walked out exactly as he had come in, with Abigail in tow.

----------

Half an hour later, the Kids Next Door, beaten, battered, but not seriously hurt, sat in the control room. Most sported some bandages over parts of their bodies to help heal bruises, cuts, and burns inflicted in the fight with Father. Five hung her head.

"He got 'er." She said, "He just walked up, an' got 'er. Like he was jus' pickin' her up from school."

"It couldn't have been avoided, Numbuh Five." said Numbuh Four, who was rubbing his hands together to warm them up after prolonged time in the M.I.T.T.s.

"We did everything we could to stop him." said Numbuh Two.

"You think she'll be okay?" Numbuh Three asked.

"We'll have to hope she will." answered Numbuh One, "Because now, the success or failure of this plan will be on her shoulders."

**END OF TRANSMISSION SEVEN**


	8. Trial and No Error

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
****F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION EIGHT:  
TRIAL AND NO ERROR

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

It was the day. The day it would all come together. All over town people readied. In her motel room, Farrah dressed for what was to come, expecting to lose forever what she cared for most. Father was anticipating total victory, what was his would forever remain in his possession. The Kids Next Door weren't sure what to expect. Whether they won or lost today would depend completely on factors they had set up but were now beyond their control.

The place these peoples' hopes would convene was far from the Suburbia that they were used to. This battle would have a whole new field, the city municipal divorce court. Father, through his legal maneuvers and "donations" to the causes of certain city officials, has managed to wrangle the opportunity to finally break himself off completely from his weak-willed ex-wife. The only contact she had had with him for a long time now had been through court hearings regarding the custody of their five children. She had fought constantly to win the children back, despite the fact she was fully aware he had turned all five of them against her. She still kept going, she couldn't realize she was beaten. It had been only a minor nuisance, but she had started making moves in desperation recently. Making Father realize it had to end.

The Kids Next Doors' involvement had been the last straw. Their kidnapping of his daughter was going too far. Farrah had to be put down for good, and this day would be when it happened. Today, full custody of the children would be his, and a total loss of parental rights would be hers. The stupid fool had actually given him ammunition to use. It was simply a matter of getting Abigail to testify that her mother had hired someone to kidnap her. Obviously, the exact details of what happened would have to be avoided, but his lawyer was good enough that any attempts to do so from Farrah's attorney would be met with objections. Not that the details would be believed anyway.

Father checked his clock. It was time.

----------

Numbuh Five checked her watch. It was time.

She stood in a hallway in the city courthouse, dressed a bit more smartly than usual. A dark blue dress as opposed to her usual dark blue t-shirt and red shorts clothed her today. She had her usual red cap atop her head. She stood outside a courtroom. She wasn't allowed into the room where the custody hearing would be held but that didn't stop her from finding a way to listen in.

Inside the courtroom, on the ceiling, in a corner, was a small device, the E.A.R. (Eavesdropping Audio Recorder). A device similar to it rested in Numbuh Five's ears, disguised as a set of headphones so that nobody would be the wiser. Five listened to the voices in the courtroom. She had so far heard at least nine people speak. Father, Farrah, their attorneys, the courtroom judge, and four of the Delightful Children. Five had heard each child say some horrible things about Farrah. They were obviously coached, and Farrah's attorney had called them on it. But the judge had let each child testify fully and completely. Five noticed he also allowed objections by Father's attorney, cutting down the questions Farrah's lawyer could ask.

Finally, it was the moment Numbuh Five had been waiting for. Father's attorney called for Abigail to take the stand. Obviously, Father was going to have Abigail testify to her kidnap attempt and get the girl to blame it on her mother. But if the Kids Next Door had gotten through to her enough, that wasn't about to happen today.

----------

Abigail sat in the witness stand, her hands were shaking. She balled them up into fists to try and stop them. She bore the blank look on her face that the Delightful Children always carried. Father had personally done all in his power to ensure that she would have that look now. In the time between her rescue by Father and the court date, Abigail had been subjected to procedures to try and make her what she had been before being captured. She had managed to be Delightful enough quickly enough that the treatments hadn't lasted very long. But they still left Abigail hurting.

Abigail looked at Father, he looked much different than usual. Seeing as how men of living flame were usually frowned upon in courtrooms, he wore a specially made, synthetic body suit which made him look like a normal human being. He looked just as he did before he gained his power, a well-dressed adult male with dark brown hair like Abigail's and blue eyes like her mother and siblings.

Father's attorney approached, and began asking her questions. Abigail tried to answer as best she could. It was hard, trying hard to give the answers she knew would please Father. She had to hold out a bit longer. If she flubbed her testimony too soon she'd get pulled off the stand before she could fulfill her obligations. Soon though, after several questions regarding her kidnapping, the moment arrived.

"Abigail," said the attorney, a shady looking man with slicked back hair, "Tell me, did your mother engage the services of a group of people, in order to kidnap you?"

This was it. Father, Farrah, Numbuh Five, and the other Delightful Children, waited with eagerness, fear, and worry, for the girl's answer.

"No."

Father's attorney seemed to falter. Abigail had rehearsed this testimony time and again. There was no way she could've forgotten something as simple as saying "yes" instead of "no." Father and Farrah both had a wide-eyed expression of surprise on their faces.

"Abigail. I'll ask again. Did your mother hire people to kidnap you?"

"No, she did not."

"You do realize, miss, that you've sworn to tell-"

"-the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And that's what I am doing. My mother never asked anybody to try to kidnap me."

The attorney was looking angry now. This was messing up his plan. Father's expression mimicked his lawyer's.

"Then how do you explain the fact that you were kidnapped?"

"My 'kidnappers' were a group of children such as myself, who like to be spies. Obviously they simply took their game too far this time."

"Permission to lead the witness." said Father's attorney to the judge.

A cry of "Objection!" suddenly came from Farrah's advocate. The judge sustained the objection. Left with nothing else, the attorney ended his line of questioning and sat down. It was now time for Farrah to question Abigail. She and her lawyer were whispering to each other in deep conversation. They both realized that this was exactly the opportunity they had been waiting for. Farrah's lawyer, a stocky older gentleman with graying hair, stepped up to the witness stand and began his cross-examination.

"Now, Abigail, I'm going to ask you a few questions about what your life with your father is like."

"Very well." said Abigail, fully prepared to truthfully answer each and every single question she would be asked.

----------

Outside the courtroom, Numbuh Five listened in on the E.A.R. as Abigail described every single atrocity Father had ever performed on her and her siblings. Numbuh Five almost wretched right there in the middle of the corridor as she listened to some of it. Abigail had told Numbuh Five about most of Father's abuse, but she had never gone into specifics with her. However, Farrah's lawyer had to get every little point out there. Everything had to be exposed. So he asked Abigail for details, and Abigail, with barely a waver in her voice, provided them. Numbuh Five thought she heard small gasps and whines over the testimony. She realized the other Delightful Children must be having a fit over this betrayal.

They weren't prepared for the exposure of their treatment. The revelation that their father was a power-mad control freak, more concerned with keeping his children under his heel than caring for them, seemed to be too much for the Delightful Children. Five felt a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach as she listened to the moaning, the crying, the bubbling.

Bubbling? Five wondered.

She didn't wonder long though, as suddenly the courtroom doors next to her were blasted right off their hinges, smashing into the opposite wall. Five jumped into the courtroom to see Father standing up in his side of the courtroom, flames consuming his body. The heat was causing his disguise to bubble and melt. As glops of the synthetic substance that kept Father's true face hidden dripped onto the floor, he raised a hand up and pointed the palm at Abigail.

A ball of flame began to form in it.

**END OF TRANSMISSION EIGHT**


	9. Priority

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION NINE:  
PRIORITY

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Numbuh Five didn't have to guess where Father was aiming the fireball that was forming in his palm. With the precision only a lot of training and experience could muster, Numbuh Five drew the weapon hidden in her shirt. To the naked eye, it would appear to be a normal, plastic, easily-identifiable-as-a-toy water gun. However, it was, in actually, a S.Q.U.I.R.T. designed for concealment.

She aimed her weapon at Father's flaming body, but Farrah acted first, jumping from her seat and tacking Father to the floor. His attention distracted, Father's fireball dissipated. Farrah, quickly as she could, got up from the floor and beat out small fires that had appeared on her jacket and skirt. Five checked on the others in the room.

The bailiff, judge, and the attorneys (even Father's) were making tracks to the nearest door they could find. The Delightful Children not testifying had ducked for cover the instant Father's true face appeared. Abigail, surprised at seeing Father aim at her, had jumped backward out of her chair and fallen to the floor. She was clutching her leg. Numbuh Five wondered if she had maybe sprained her ankle in the fall. Farrah noticed it too.

"Kids!" She called to the Delightfuls, "Get your sister and get out of here!" The Delightful Childrens' fearful attitude instantly became one of hatred.

"Just who are you to give us orders!" they demanded of Farrah.

"Someone who thinks siblings should watch out for each other, no matter what!" Farrah shot back. She didn't say it in anger, but there was urgency in her voice. She needed to get those kids out of there before Father got up.

The Children moved to Abigail and helped her to her feet, supporting her so she wouldn't have to be on her bad leg. But they didn't take one step from the witness stand before Father was up again and aiming a new fireball towards Abigail, so furious he didn't care his other children were with her. Five leveled her weapon to shoot but Farrah again beat her to the punch. She stepped between Father and the children, arms spread out. Father chuckled.

"Do you really think that'll make me stop?"

"No, but this will!"

Father looked behind him at the sudden sound of Numbuh Five's voice, and got a face full of water for it. He clutched his face as if he'd just been hit with acid. Farrah looked at the children and yelled at them to go. They listened this time without arguing. Numbuh Five moved aside so they could get out of the room.

"You too, Abby!" she called.

"Nu-uh! You think I jus' gonna leave ya' here?"

"Abby! N-"

Farrah was interrupted when Father, shouting in rage, shot out from his body flames so powerful the shockwave from their appearance knocked Farrah to the floor. Father looked at her, ready to land a killing strike. When another shot from Five's S.Q.U.I.R.T. hit him in the back.

"Hey, old man! Numbuh Five's 'da one ya gotta beef with. I the one that took Abigail with mah own hands. I got her t'turn agains' ya! Ya gonna go throwin' fireballs at someone, make it Numbuh Five!"

With that, Numbuh Five ran from down the hallway, in the direction opposite the one she had seen the Delightful Children take. Father was furious beyond reason at this point. The girl wanted to die so soon, so be it. Farrah grabbed his wrist, her skin starting to burn from his touch.

"Don't hurt her! She's just a child!"

"You have no clue what she truly is!" with that he threw Farrah off him and starting his hunt for Numbuh Five. He didn't bother with the door he destroyed earlier. He simply blew a hole in the wall and ran into the hallway, to the utter shock of bystanders who had seen the door destroyed. He saw Five turn down another hall and pursued her.

Farrah got up off the courtroom floor and staggered out into the main hallway, clutching her burnt hand. She could only look down the hall in the direction she had seen her husband and Abby run in. Then to the opposite direction, where her children had fled. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she recognized what Abby was trying to do. She also knew what Abby would likely want her to do. As much as she wanted to try and help Abby, she ran after her children, knowing that they were to be her first priority.

Something told her Abby could look out for herself.

Elsewhere in the building, Father had just caught up to Numbuh Five.

**END TRANSMISSION NINE**


	10. Drowning in Resolve

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION TEN:  
DROWNING IN RESOLVE

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Screams filled the hallway as Numbuh Five reached the end of a hallway in the city courthouse.

A dead end... Numbuh Five thought to herself.

Looking back, Numbuh Five thought to herself how much she hated the name "dead end".

The father of the Delightful Children From Down The Lane was standing in the hall, some distance from Numbuh Five and taking his time walking up to her. Beside him was a large hole in the wall. Five had moved as fast as she could, but Father had simply blasted his way through courtroom after courtroom after lawyer's office to catch her. People in the building were running around all over the place, panicked by the sudden appearance of the man of flame.

Seeing nowhere to go, Numbuh Five prepared to stand her ground. She pulled her S.Q.U.I.R.T. out and took a split second to get a bead on the adult walking towards her. The instant before she could pull the trigger, however, a ball of fire from Father's hand shot the S.Q.U.I.R.T. right out of Numbuh Five's hand. Five watched it land on the ground and melt into a useless hunk of plastic. Father suddenly ran at Numbuh Five, grabbed her at the throat, and lifted her up. Father's hold both burned and choked Numbuh Five.

"Look at you, Kid Next Door." Father sneered. "Look where you are. About to die. About to die because you tried to help your enemies. About to die... because you did what an adult asked you to!"

Father laughed a hateful, spiteful laugh.

"I hope you appreciate the irony of it all as you burn!"

Numbuh Five wasn't listening, though. Her thoughts had gone to something else entirely.

----------

_Farrah was wringing her hands and looking down at the carpet on the floor. _

"Abigail..." she said.

"I prefer Abby." Abby said in reply.

"Right... Abby..." Farrah muttered. She cleared her throat and continued. "Abby, I came here because I need help with something. Something only you can help me with."

"Me? What can Abby do?" asked the girl aloud. Does she know 'bout the Kids Next Door?_ she wondered to herself. _

Farrah reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a photograph. She handed the photo to Abby, who didn't believe what she saw.

"I need your help to save them!" said Farrah.

Abby looked at the photo for a second. Unable to believe what she was seeing. If indeed it was what she thought she was seeing. Her... and the Delightful Children From Down The Lane...

Farrah hadn't said a word. She was only looking at the floor. It took Abby a moment to realize she was crying.

"I... I can't do it..."

"Come again?" Abby asked.

"I can't ask for your help... I want to... I need to... but I can't..."

"Abby don' understand..."

"Abby... I came here because I wanted to ask for your help to help my children. To free them from their father's grasp. He's turned them against me. But I doubt he ever considered you, some kid they knew when they were little. You could get through to them. Especially her..."

Farrah looked at the picture, and pointed to the Delightful Child nearest Abby, the girl with pigtails.

"Abigail..."

"Abby." Abby said curtly.

"Abigail..." Abby realized Farrah wasn't talking about her. She was referring to the child in the photo.

"You and my Abigail were so close..." Farrah started sobbing "You both had the same name..." a small laugh interrupted her crying, "and you thought it was the most amazing thing."

Anybody else, and Abby would think they were full of it. But something about Farrah, something... familiar... made Abby feel confident she was trustworthy.

"Look, if this is all true, 'den of course Abby'll help ya!"

"No! You can't!" she cried out. "If you help... and something happens to you... even if we succeed... I wouldn't be... I wouldn't be worthy of them!"

"What?" asked Abby.

"Their father, he doesn't care who he steps on. He doesn't care who gets hurt... so long as his goals are accomplished! Even if those who get hurt are his own children! If I do the same... If you get hurt because of me... then what kind of mother can I be for my children! I'll be no different than their father!"

Farrah held her head up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and calmed herself down.

"Abby... I'm sorry... I'm sorry I wasted your time."

As Farrah left the room, Abby thought about what she had just witnessed. She felt the sincerity of Farrah's words. And she made up her mind then and there.

----------

Back in the present, Abby, still in the Delightful Father's grasp, looked upward and saw her chance. She used what strength she had left and lifted her right hand towards her head. She then turned her head to look right into Father's eyes.

"Everythin'... Numbuh Five's done..."

Father was impressed, he was burning her throat from the outside in, and she was mustering up the strength to speak.

"Everythin'... I done... it wasn't 'cause... Miss Farrah... asked me to..."

Numbuh Five grabbed her hat and took it off her head, holding the bill of the cap in her hand.

"IT WAS BECAUSE SHE _DIDN'T_ ASK ME TO!"

She swung her right arm up, hooking the back of her hat onto a sprinkler that was attached to the ceiling, and pulled down. Hard. She broke the water main. Causing herself and father to get suddenly drenched in water. Father let go of Numbuh Five and was holding himself. Clutching his body as if it had been entirely covered in acid. Numbuh Five hit the floor backside first, breathing in as deeply as she could while suppressing a coughing fit.

The breaking of the water main caused a chain reaction causing all sprinklers on that floor of the courthouse to activate. The floor suddenly started to flood a bit. But by the time the water level had gotten to about half an inch, Father had had enough.

Using the same trick he had used when attacking the tree house, Father used his body to elevate the temperature in the building so high that all the water splashing on the floor and from the sprinklers evaporated in an instant.

Numbuh Five looked up to see Father staring right at her. Pure hate etched into his otherwise featureless body. Numbuh Five had gotten out of his hold. But she had also made Father very, very angry.

She reached into her pocket and pushed the button on a small device hidden inside. It was time to finish this plan.

**END OF TRANSMISSION TEN**


	11. Family

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION ELEVEN:  
FAMILY

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Outside the courthouse a school bus was sitting on the curb. It looked no different than your everyday school bus. To the naked eye at least. There were four kids inside, running around acting rowdy, running around and yelling. Also inside was an adult who seemed to be trying to maintain control. To the average passerby, it would seem as if a class was at the courthouse on a field trip, and the kids inside were left in the bus for disobedience.

To those who knew better, a much different picture was clear. Yes, there were four rowdy kids inside the bus. Yes, they were running around yelling and such. However, there was no adult in the bus. Where most saw an adult there was, in fact, a dummy hitched up on a pole, with a speaker attached to it giving your expected adult commands. You know, "sit down", "keep quiet", and "you should've done that before we left!" The bus was also set up with all kinds the most sophisticated equipment one could get when working with Two-By-Four Technology.

A light on the dashboard suddenly began blinking, which caught the interest of the four members of the Kids Next Door inside. Numbuhs One through Four watched as a screen over the windshield came on with a floor plan of the courthouse they were parked in front of. A small red dot was blinking on it. It meant one thing, Numbuh Five was ready for extraction. The kids readied their weapons and piled out of the bus. They charged through the front door and headed for the stairs nearby to get Numbuh Five. They weren't stopped by security because they were currently busy dealing with fire-men destroying the courtrooms and malfunctioning sprinklers.

Had they not been so intent on their own destination, they may have noticed the five children who ran out of the courthouse, one of whom was being supported by the other four. The four carried their sibling down the courthouse steps before un-ceremoniously dropping her on the pavement.

"Ow!" cried the girl being held, Abigail. She couldn't get up without intense pain in her leg, so she sat on the ground and looked up at her brothers and sister.

"Why did you just drop me like that!" she asked. They looked at her, and the two whose eyes she could seemed to be struggling between emotions. If she could see eyes of the two brothers whose faces were obscured, she'd bet the mirrored the others. She knew full well what they would say next. She could probably say it along with them if she were so inclined.

"We are no longer in danger." they all replied simultaneously, "We have no reason to carry you any further. Sister or not, you have betrayed us! You betrayed father!"

"I know." said Abigail, "And I'm sorry. No matter how much it hurt saying those things in court I know you had to be going through much worse."

The four siblings' seemed to soften a bit at the apology. But it was nowhere near good enough.

"Do you realize how Father will punish us for your transgressions!" they asked, "When one misbehaves, all are punished! You know that! How could you!"

"Because it won't matter! After today none of us will ever need to fear Father again!"

That wasn't very convincing.

"Preposterous!" the children wailed, "Father will always be in our lives! He feeds us! Clothes us! Shelters us!"

"But does he love you!"

The other four Delightful Children from Down the Lane looked up to the top of the stairs. Farrah walked down towards her children. She clutched her right hand, burned when she attempted to stop Father's chase after Abby.

"That is not important!" the Delightfuls sneered.

"You didn't answer the question." Farrah prodded.

"Don't be stupid." they yelled, "Father's told us all about you! We won't fall for your tricks!"

"What? What has he told you?" Farrah asked as she reached the bottom of the steps. She knew deep down that she would never have another chance like this one. She could not let it go to waste.

"He told us all about how you abandoned us! How your only goal in life is to rip us from his arms! To turn us against him!"

"That's not untrue..." Farrah admitted, "What you may not realize is that my goal was never to turn you against your father, only to make you see what he is."

"LIAR!"

"You've been told all sorts of things about me by your father. But what do you, yourselves remember? I know something's got to be in there. You weren't that small when I left! Cade... Dylan... Brianna... Ethan... Please remember..."

The four Delightful Childrens' eyes widened when they saw Farrah crying. They looked to their sister and saw that Abigail was fighting back tears of her own. This was too much for them.

"Stop it! We already told you we won't fall for this! Why are you even trying!"

"Because I love you!" Farrah said, looking her children right in the eyes as she did so.

This shocked the Delightfuls to their core. They never answered Farrah's question. But they knew the answer. Father had never shown them any kind of love. Never even used the word. Not in any complementary way, at least.

"You're my children and I love you!"

The Delightful Children from Down the Lane, Abigail included, were simply staring at Farrah. They barely knew this woman. They had been taught for years to hate her. And she was declaring her love for them. It sparked memories...

----------

_The children remembered the night their mother abandoned them. No, the day she was made to leave. It was night, and she and Father had argued. The children had only been about five years old. They had been put to bed, but the shouting match had woken them up. They listened, not understanding why their parents were fighting and screaming at each other. When they heard the door slam they ran to their bedroom window and saw someone leaving the house. They saw their mother walking off slowly. She stopped and looked at them in the window and said something to them. They couldn't hear what she had said, but they could tell by how her mouth moved. It was something she said often. _

The last thing they remembered of that night was their father coming into their room, wondering why they were out of bed.

----------

"When you left..." said Brianna, breaking out of she and her siblings simultaneous speech...

"You told us..." Dylan said under his football helmet

"You said you loved us..." all five said together. But this time, their together-speak wasn't tainted by a near total lack of feeling. They were all looking down at the ground. They looked to their mother, the lies of their father lifted from their minds. The four uninjured children helped Abigail to her feet once more.

Farrah understood what had happened, she walked over and gave her children the first hug she had given them in far too long. She then walked to Abigail and lifted her up, so she needn't worry about her ankle. Farrah noticed her daughter was looking upwards, to the upper levels of the courthouse building.

"There's only one thing left now..." she said. "It's all up to them."

Farrah was puzzled as to what Abigail was talking about. But her siblings nodded, they seemed to have an idea what was happening.

**END OF TRANSMISSION ELEVEN**


	12. Burned!

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION TWELVE:  
BURNED!

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Numbuh Five sat on the courthouse floor coughing herself silly. She had a horrible pain in her throat from Father's burns. Her little moment of truth speech hadn't helped much either.

_Next time,_ she thought, _Numbuh Five's gonna be heroic quietly..._

It was hard to see exactly what was around her. The vapor from all the water Father had evaporated was fogging up her vision. She could see Father very clearly though, he was looking right at her, absolutely furious.

"HOW DARE YOU!" he roared as the fog cleared.

He walked over to her and opened his hand, inside of which a fireball began forming.

_So this is it, then._ Numbuh Five thought, staring right at the fireball. She was determined to face this with dignity. She refused to close her eyes or cringe away.

"Kids Next Door! Battle Stations!"

Suddenly Father was being hit from behind by something. Numbuh Five couldn't see what it was. But the voice she heard told her who it was. The others had arrived. And not a moment too late, fortunately. Two small baseballs appeared in the corridor and shot off a large amount of smoke.

Five felt her arms being grabbed as two of her teammates hefted her up. Through the smoke bomb's smoke she thought she could see the shadows of Numbuhs Two and Four. As they helped her get clear of Father and out of the corridor, she saw Numbuhs One and Three firing full blast fire extinguishers taken from the "Break in case of fire" cases throughout the building. They couldn't use any Two-by-Four technology. Not for this one.

When the smoke finally cleared, Father lay motionless on the floor of the courthouse. He was breathing, but unconscious. It was then that security guards and police showed up and saw five kids, one of them supported by two others, and the once-flaming man out cold.

Two of the officers immediately saw to Abby, calling an ambulance as some balm from a first-aid kit was applied to her neck. Other officers saw to Father, hauling him off and calling for special assistance to keep him contained should he wake up. One of them, thinking quickly, got the idea to take him to a nearby public pool, where the water would keep him under control until other arrangements could be made.

Security also saw to the other Kids Next Door, making sure they were uninjured, unaware of their role in what just happened. As Abby was guided outside to the ambulance, which was due any minute, she passed by the judge who had been presiding over Father's and Farrah's hearing.

"I'm more surprised at myself." she heard him say. "To think I was about to rule in his favor! I almost gave him custody! I can't believe how close I came to putting those children in the hold of that man!"

And there it was. Numbuh Five smiled to herself.

_Mission accomplished!_

----------

_"Why, Numbuh One, does Numbuh Five detect a plan formin' in yo' smooth skull?" _

"I am getting an idea."

Numbuh Five jumped out of her seat and looked at One.

"Well, what is it?"

"You won't believe it when I tell you." said Numbuh One with a smirk. "I had a hard time figuring out what to do. Partly because of the fact that we can not just go in and take the Delightful Children."

"Yeah." Numbuh Five concurred, "If the ol' man can make anyone think Farrah put us up to it, that'd be the end right there."

"Exactly. I hate admitting it, but there's nothing that we as the Kids Next Door can do for them. However..."

"However...?"

"However, we need to keep in mind the whole objective is to get the Delightful Children back to Farrah, and that Farrah can only do so through the Adult court system. If Father's influence is as great as we believe, then Farrah would have no hope under normal circumstances. No adult would go against Father unless left with absolutely no other option. That's where we come in. We're going to make sure that that courtroom judge can't do anything but give the Delightfuls to Farrah!"

"Well, yer right. Numbuh Five don' believe what she hearin'."

"It's a real risky plan. It counts relying on those we've fought against for years. But it's the best shot we have."

"Yo right." Numbuh Five agreed, then smiled, "'Sides, might be interestin' to actually beat an adult at their own game."

----------

And so they had. By attempting to murder his own daughter in front of witnesses Father sealed his fate. No judge could allow the custody of a group of children to go to someone who had so clearly demonstrated no qualms about hurting them. The fact he had also gone after an "innocent bystander" didn't do him any good, either. Add that to the witnesses of his chasing Numbuh Five, and the security cameras set up around the building which caught much of the chase on tape, and Father was destined to go away for a long, long time.

The guard led Numbuh Five away from the other Kids Next Door and to a pair of paramedics who had been called to the scene. They would take her the rest of the way to the ambulance. They led her down the steps, where she saw Farrah and the Delightful Children from Down the Lane all together. When she saw Abigail in her mother's arms, she flipped them a quick thumbs up. She saw Abigail mimic the gesture.

It was with a great sense of relief that Abby Lincoln allowed the paramedics to help her into the ambulance and take her to the hospital. It was done. The Delightful Children had been saved by the Kids Next Door, with the help of a little bit of State law. Abby began feeling drowsy and fell asleep during the ride. Truth be told, it was the first real bit of sleep she'd had since the whole operation began.

But, now it was all done. All that was left to do is make sure Farrah and her children would be all right together.

**END OF TRANSMISSION TWELVE**


	13. Correspondence

**CONTINUING TRANSMISSION... **

**KIDS NEXT DOOR MISSION**

**OPERATION:  
F.A.R.R.A.H.**

**F**amily  
**A**cquaintance  
**R**eturns  
**R**eporting  
**A**larming  
**H**istory

TRANSMISSION THIRTEEN:  
CORRESPONDENCE

WRITING OPERATIVE:  
Sgamer82

Abby Lincoln was lying in her bed in the Kids Next Door Tree house. She had been taken off of active duty since the fight with Father to recover from her injuries. That had been just over a week ago. Numbuh Five was feeling tip-top shape, though her voice was still a little scratchy when she spoke. One of the rare times being "The Quiet One" was useful in everyday life.

Still, she was bored out of her mind. The others had gone on a mission sent up from Moon base HQ, and Five had been left behind. The first few days she had sort of gone against orders and actually done some of the "desk work" that had been piling up, just so she could be doing something helpful. But now that was all done and she didn't know what to do.

She got out of bed and walked to her window, looking down the lane to the now empty mansion that stood there. Immediately after the battle at the courthouse, Kids Next Door operatives had taken Farrah and the Delightful Children into custody before adult authorities could sort everything out. Numbuh One had assured Numbuh Five that they weren't in any trouble and were entering the KND equivalent to the adult Witness Protection Program.

But Numbuh Five hadn't heard from any of them for the past week. She had started to worry. Being cooped up with little to do certainly hadn't helped her fears much either. She checked her mail, both at home and at the tree house, regularly, hoping for something. She walked to the debriefing room, and upon her arrival checked a small box mail for the Kids Next Door typically arrived in. To her surprise, she actually found a letter inside. She took a look and couldn't believe what she saw.

From: Abigail

To: Numbuh Five (Abby)

Mail from Abigail. Five immediately tore it open and read the letter inside, the proper looking writing confirmed it was Abigail. 

Dear Abby,

I'm sorry it took so long to write to you. But we've been getting settled into our new arrangements. Your fellow Kids Next Door were amazingly adept at securing the essentials we needed. They found a good location for us to live and managed to secure some money from Father's bank accounts for us to live off of. It is a small town, and the house isn't very large. Especially when compared to Father's mansion. But it's very nice all the same. Brianna and I share a room while Cade, Ethan, and Dylan have one of their own. Mother enrolled us in a school where she managed to employ herself as a teacher.

My siblings realized very quickly that our mother was nothing like the person Father described her to be. She has been able to manage all the affairs of our home with seeming ease. She has been surprisingly patient with some of, what others may call, "quirks." She's even allowed us our toenail collection, though I believe she's a bit, I believe the phrase is, "grossed out" by it. She's still having trouble comprehending the existence of groups like the Kids Next Door and adults such as Father. She's said she wouldn't have believed any of it if she hadn't seen it for herself.

It hasn't been perfect. With Father's influence gone from us, we are not as agreeable towards each other as we always were. Arguments are somewhat frequent between us. Usually just little squabbles over nothing. I'm not proud of it, but I actually started arguing with Ethan when he took up some of my space on the couch. Mother's usually quick to stop things before they escalate too far. She usually laughs it off, telling us that we're just "learning to be ourselves." I think she means we're starting to develop our own preferences and desires, and that the arguments are just our individual desires coming into conflict. We rarely speak all at once like we once did. When we do, we positively never say the same thing.

This newfound independence has occasionally gotten us into trouble. Mother's punishments are hardly the level of Father's, but she can be a bit harsh when need be. In one case, Dylan (Numbuh Five had to remind herself that was Dome)_ actually put a hole in a wall after Cade dared him to see if his helmet could do just that. Dylan won the challenge, but Mother revoked his allowance (we get allowances now) until the hole was repaired. Cade's as well, since he gave Dylan the idea in the first place. She even had them assist the workers who did the repairs, claiming they should take responsibility for their actions. _

In another instance, Brianna and I snuck into Mother's bedroom and tried putting on her make-up. We weren't very adept at it. I think we actually looked quite comical because when Mother walked in on us she laughed for about a full minute before finally sending us to our room. The boys still love teasing us about it. Though they usually quiet down after we ask how our wall is coming.

All and all, we really only agree on one thing nowadays. The life we have now as infinitely better than our life with our Father. And we owe it all to you and your friend, Abby.

Numbuh Five noticed, at the bottom of the letter, six signatures, all in different handwriting.

_Thank you, Numbuh Five. _

Abigail, Brianna, Cade, Dylan, Ethan, and Farrah

P.S. You were right before, ice cream is much better without sprinkles.

Abby noticed that "sprinkles" was written next to the word "Jimmies", which had been crossed out.

Numbuh Five then noticed, in the envelope, there was a photograph inside. It was a family portrait, of Farrah and the Delightful Children. Unlike most such portraits, the family wasn't wearing fancy dress clothes. Abby guessed that the Delightfuls had had enough of that style for a long time. Instead, all six of the people in the photo were dressed in casual looking clothes. The girls in what looked like simple sundresses while the boys wore t-shirts and jeans (though one of them, Cade, was wearing shorts).

Abby couldn't help but smile when she saw the smiles on the other kids' faces. Since the KND organization was making sure they remained, for the most part, hidden, she wasn't sure when she'd see Abigail, or any of them again. But Abby knew she could rest easy, knowing they were all okay. Father wouldn't be able to come for them again.

----------

He had to admit... he hadn't expected _this_ from children.

The man who was once the father of the Delightful Children from Down the Lane sat in a small chamber specially built for his imprisonment. It was mostly airtight, save for a few vents that pumped a limited amount of oxygen into the chamber. Just enough so he could breathe, but he didn't dare light his flames, since they would feed off the little oxygen in the chamber and suffocate him before he could do anything else.

Father had realized the intent of the Kids Next Door the instant he had been informed his parental rights had been revoked. He had to give them credit. It was ingenious... he had underestimated what they were capable of, and he had paid the price.

He would not do so again, however. He would find a way out of this near air-tight prison. And when he did, the Kids Next Door would regret their interference in his affairs.

Especially Abigail Lincoln... yes, she will wish she had never gotten between him and his.

**END TRANSMISSION**

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** In case nobody noticed, there's a pun hidden in the names I gave Farrah and the Delightful Children in this story. Look closely at the letter's signature and think about the fact that, had I needed a name for him, I had intended to call Father "Gabriel." 


End file.
